Friday, February 27, 2009

Dorian Fishbowl Chapters 13-16 Question

On the first page of the preface Wilde says, "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written. That is all." Do you agree, due to the ideas that were brought up in class, that Wilde does not want us to pick apart his book based on morals? He merely wants society to understand that art is useless, it is just "art for art sake."

Friday, February 27, 2009

Happy Friday!

We fishbowled today on Chapters 13-16, and Ruggles just went over what he expects for sources on Monday. If you missed the fishbowl add some comments on to the blog and don't forget to answer the blog post!!!


Homework:
- BLOG POST!!!!
- Beauty Paper Sources to be checked off on Monday
- 2-3 quotes cited from Dorian Gray and 2 outside sources
-Beauty Paper Outline due Wednesday
- Dorian Gray- Read Chapters 17-20 ( Fishbowl Wednesday)

Our last Fishbowl for Dorian Gray!
Wednesday
Presenters:
Sara Beam
Shelli Marr
Anna Paul
Brittney Walker
Mackenzie Lanphear
Kaytlin Ryan

Discussers:
Adrienne Bouveron
Jordan Senior
Katie Maron
Kim Christian
Taylor Scofield
Steven Ward
Irene Lahana
Hailey Moore

Support our Boys and Girls Basketball teams this weekend at playoffs!
Girls play tonight at 7pm and Boys tomorrow at 3pm. Both games are at Arapahoe...I think :)


Hey look it's Drew!!



And Britt and I stumbled upon this picture too....

Dorian Gray Fishbowl - Chapters 13-16

Happy Friday Fishbowl.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Happy fun filled Wednesday
We had Red Vines, Brownies, Milk and even Cake today for fun filled Wednesday. Props to Anna, Brittney, and Shelly for bringing that in. We took a quiz with a partner on Dorian Gray over chapters 1-12.
We then debriefed the Fishbowl on Chapters 9-12.


HW: Conference with Mr. Ruggles if you haven’t done so
-Finishing reading 13-16 (Fish bowl on Friday)
-Beauty paper-Sources check off (Due Monday)

Monday, February 23, 2009

Monday, February 23, 2009

Monday, February 23, 2009

Happy Monday Everyone!

We had an awesome fishbowl today in class on chapters 9-12; if you missed it make sure to make it up by leaving a few comments on the blog. Also don’t forget to answer the blog question.

Today Ruggles went over the beauty paper, and how we are supposed to write it, the beauty proposal is due Wed. Feb. 25. You can find it on Smith’s web page.

Don’t forget your Last Lecture conference, if you haven’t scheduled one yet be sure to do that ASAP.

Begin reading chapters 13- 16 in Dorian Gray we have a fishbowl on these chapters Friday.

Hope everyone is having fun at DECA, congratulations on making state guys!

Fishbowl Ch.9-12 Blog Question

This section of the book takes place around the end of the 1800s. In England, this was a time defined by "world-weary sensibility", meaning asceticism was quickly ending. How do you think this has impacted Dorian? Is this the reason he has become such a dark person?

Dorain Gray Fishbowl 9-12

Friday, February 20, 2009

Mr. Ruggles Student Teaching Questionnaire

1. What is one thing that that Mr. Ruggles does well?

2. What is one thing that Mr. Ruggles can improve upon?

3. Rank these on a scale of one to five (with five being the highest) and leave a one sentence explanation explaining your number:

a. How would you rank Mr. Ruggles’ communication skills? (Verbal, nonverbal, written)
b. How would you rank Mr. Ruggles’ lessons (are they interesting and meaningful)
c. How would you rank Mr. Ruggles’ classroom management techniques
d. How would you rank Mr. Ruggles’ assessments (graded fairly, timely, and well done)
e. How would you rank Mr. Ruggles’ use of technology (website, PowerPoint, etc.)
f. How would you rank Mr. Ruggles’ attitude and excitement for teaching this class?

4. What is the most fun and/or meaningful activity that you have completed in this class? Why?

5. What assignment did you not enjoy? Why?

6. What else can I do to help you in the classroom?

7. What other comments or feedback do you want to give Mr. Ruggles?

True Beauty?

What is your definition of true beauty?

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Chapters 4-8 Blog Question

Connection to Crime and Punishment- Dorian and Raskolnikov become progressivly more diluted in their madness and self absorption and slowly distant from society

"You are as sick as your secrets"

Do you think Dorian regrets his selfish behavior or enjoys it? Consider: his apology letter to Sybil, after which he is impressed with his selflessness

Dorian Gray 4-8 Fishbowl

Friday, February 13, 2009

Dorian Gray Chapters 1-3 Fishbowl Question

Oscar Wilde's writing is full of epigrams and he does not waste a single word; he is obviously very educated. However, in his characters he has placed a very high importance on beauty and bascially described intelligence as useless and superficial. What do you think Wilde is trying to say about intelligence? How does beauty play into art and how does this make art unimportant/important?

Friday Feb 13, 2009

OHH NO TODAY IS FRIDAY THE 13th!!!!!!!!!!!!

Homework: Read Chapters 4-8 in Dorian Gray
There is a fishbowl on these Chapters on Wednesday
Last Lecture Feedback by February 20
Self Portrait Project by February 20
In Class: Housekeeping- Grades, Papers, Last Lecture
Fishbowl- Make sure to look at the blog!! If your absent just look over the blog comments made and add your own opinion on the situations

Happy Friday!! SENIORS WE ARE SOO CLOSE!!!!! Have a good long weekend everyone!!!

Dorian Gray 1-3 Fishbowl

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Wednesday, February 11

Happy Oreo Wednesday! Snaps to Lauren and Kendra for bringing us Oreos!

Homework:
  • Discussers for friday: make sure you have your syllabus ready
  • The first part of our Last Lecture (childhood) is due Friday
  • Write feedback on Smith's Last Lecture
  • Project due February 20. 
Discussion: 

First, we circled up and talked about our first thoughts on Dorian Gray and the reflection papers we wrote about the preface.  Some points we covered were:
  • Wilde's book is a piece of art b/c we are still "admiring"/studying it today
  • people don't like to see their flaws, nor do they like perfection because it makes them look that much worse
  • Wilde says art is useless, yet his book is considered art, and he has an artist as a main character in his book and the painting itself is a very important element in it. -->paradoxes
  • Anything can be art because art is anything people use to express themselves
  • only the artist fully understands the ideas behind his work, or aren't there any hidden meanings?
  • What if the preface was satirical? he could be saying that art is overrated, most art isn't true art...
  • When the book was written Wilde was in jail/on trial. Is that why he says that no book is immoral or moral, just good or badly written? --> defending himself for what he wrote in the book. "Delve into book at your own peril" quote means that people have to make their own choice on whether they want to read a book with this kind of content. 
Vocab:
  • Hellenic: relating to Greek culture
  • Aestheticism: viewing all things for their beauty
  • Morals: beliefs, good/bad
  • Caliban: character in Shakespeare's Tempest, portrayed as monstrous
  • Realism: when everyday, real-life stuff is portrayed in art
  • Romanticism: emotions, senses, "aesthetic experience"
Characters:
  • Basil: rich artist, friends with Lord Henry, met Dorian Gray at a party and now he is obsessed with Dorian and is painting a picture of him. Basil is mysterious and secretive but confides in Lord Henry about almost everything. 
  • Lord Henry Wotton: Very rich man, had a good education and is outspoken in his opinions and ideas about life, always smiling and adds humor to book. He is manipulative, clever, bored, shallow,  uses his money for power?, persuasive, humorous. He met Dorian Gray at Basil's house. 
  • Dorian Gray: orphan, he is beautiful, charming, and lively. 
Project: 

Then we talked about our new project due on the 20th. There are copies of the sheet we need to guide us on the website. 

Objective: reveal the artist's conflict, the struggle of the facade we are forced to have because of society and who we really are (how society views us and how we view ourselves).

Project: We need to come up with two self portraits, one that shows how society views you, one that is how you view yourself/who you truly are. You can show this through poetry, a song,  a video, a collage, a painting, etc. Be creative and unique! See the rubric on the web page if you have questions   

Monday, February 9, 2009

2/6 and 2/9

Ok, kids, here's the deal.
On Friday we wrapped up or hell unit with an in class essay. We didn't really have homework; just get Dorian Gray for Monday and work on your Last Lecture.

Monday!
Today we discussed what we would do if we could do anything without getting caught (on the blog) as well as discussing Oscar Wilde's life (fairly unconventional) and beginning Dorian Gray.

Homework: read the preface of Dorian Gray and respond to the questions on the handout we got in a one page, double spaced, typed response; read chapters 1-3 in Dorian Gray; sign up for fish bowl days if you haven't yet

Also, work on the first part of your last lecture! The reflection on your past is due on Friday, so start thinking inspirational thoughts!!!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Food for Thought: Dorian Gray

If you could do something without getting caught, would you?

Explain your thoughts, including what you would or would not do in a paragraph comment to this post.  Enjoy!